Place the ginger in a small bowl with the white wine vinegar and soy sauce. Stir until well combined, then slowly whisk in the vegetable and sesame oils to emulsify and thicken. Season to taste and store covered with clingfilm in the fridge until needed. Use as required.

PREPARE AHEAD

This will keep happily for up to 1 week in the fridge.

BASIL PESTO

Makes about 250ml (9fl oz)

1 large bunch of fresh basil leaves (at least 50g (2oz))

2 garlic cloves, peeled

25g (1oz) toasted pine nuts

175ml (6fl oz) olive or rapeseed oil

50g (2oz) freshly grated Parmesan

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the basil in a food processor with the garlic, pine nuts and a quarter of the oil. Blend to a paste, then slowly add the remaining oil through the feeder tube. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the Parmesan, then season to taste. Cover with clingfilm and chill until needed.

PREPARE AHEAD

This will keep happily in the fridge for up to 1 week – just top it up with a little extra olive oil to keep it tasting lovely and fresh. It can also be frozen.

Alternative potato accompaniments

SWEET POTATO FONDANTS

This has to be one of my favourite accompaniments at the restaurant, where I often serve it with duck or lamb. I normally use a 5cm (2in) straight-sided cooking ring as a cutter, which creates perfect little sweet potato towers every time!

Makes 4

2 sweet potatoes, each at least 8cm (3in) long and 4cm (1 1/2in) across

25g (1oz) butter

1 tsp sunflower oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

300ml (1/2 pint) chicken stock

2 fresh thyme sprigs

Peel the sweet potatoes and trim down until they are 8cm (3in) long so you are left with cylindrical sections. Place these on your chopping board and cut each one into 2cm (3/4in) slices, then use a straight-sided cutter to stamp out 8 x 4cm (1 1/2in) rounds.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the butter and oil. Add the sweet potato discs and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden. Season to taste and pour in enough stock to come three-quarters of the way up the sweet potatoes.

Add the thyme sprigs to the fondants, then increase the heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes without moving the potatoes, until all of the stock mixture has gone and the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Turn the discs over carefully with a spatula. You will notice that the bottoms have started to brown and caramelise. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until browned and completely tender.

COOK AHEAD

Make the sweet potato fondants up to 2 days in advance and keep covered in the fridge until needed. Reheat on a baking sheet at 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4) for 10 minutes. They also keep well in a cool oven.